During a crisis, leadership and decision-making are different from normal operations. But how do they differ during a crisis and why? What strategies should crisis leaders embrace? Maurice “Mickie” Williams, Executive Director of Business Continuation for USAA, and Dr. Steve Goldman, Senior Instructor in Risk Communications and Crisis Communications at MIT, will wrap-up day one of the 2020 Continuity Insights Management Conference with their keynote session, Leadership and Decision-Making During a Crisis.
During the presentation, Williams will describe USAA’s incident management and crisis response structure and processes and how they support crisis leadership and decision-making, while MIT’s Goldman will provide insights from academic research and real-world experience on leadership during a crisis, including meta-leadership and preparing your leaders. This session will truly provide a wealth of information and techniques for you and for your senior management.
As the Executive Director of Business Continuation for USAA, Williams supports the Process Excellence, Enterprise Resiliency, and Unified Command Center (UCC) teams. These teams improve operational effectiveness across the Enterprise Security Group, increase resilience across the enterprise, manage enterprise incidents (tactical-to-strategic), and mitigate risks from evolving threats.
As the UCC Director, he supported a team of talented professionals who monitor, detect, analyze, and manage worldwide incidents that pose risks to USAA Team members, facilities, and suppliers, to ensure risks are mitigated and communicated across the Enterprise; all designed to ensure the enterprise can continue to support its members.
Prior to joining USAA, Williams served in the U.S. Army for 29 years. During his military career, he served in operational leadership and staff positions ranging from infantry platoon leader through Director of Operations at the National Security Agency in Texas. In the latter position, he lead a joint service and civilian workforce responsible for executing signals intelligence and cyber security operations in support of numerous customers across the U.S. government.
Williams is a graduate of the United States Military Academy, and earned master’s degrees from the National Intelligence University, and the National War College.
Dr. Steven B. Goldman is an internationally recognized expert in risk and crisis communications, crisis management, and business continuity planning. His background is unique in that he has been a professional engineer, corporate spokesperson, crisis planner, crisis responder, crisis management consultant, media relations manager, Fortune 500 Company’s Global Business Continuity Program Manager, and professional speaker. He has extensive expertise in developing/upgrading risk and emergency communication plans/procedures, training all levels of public information and executive personnel, and as well successfully dealing with the news media, corporations, and federal, state, and local agencies/officials.
Dr. Goldman has published several articles on the various aspects of risk and crisis communications, crisis management, and business continuity planning. In addition, he conducts several Crisis Management and Crisis Communication seminars each year. His most recent industry accomplishment is the development, coordination, and conduct of Crisis Management and Business Continuity, the Professional Education program offered at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
He lectures on Risk Communication for the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health’s “Management Skills for Emerging Leaders in Environmental Health and Safety.” He also lectures on communications and conducts the class exercise for the school’s “Radiological Emergency Planning: Terrorism, Security, and Communication.” He also developed and co-conducted the first “Crisis Management Planning” Professional Development Course for the Risk and Insurance Management Society (RIMS).
Dr. Goldman obtained his Master’s Degree in Engineering from MIT. He earned his Doctorate in Education (Ed. D.) from the University of Massachusetts.
The 2020 Continuity Insights Management Conference will take place on April 20-22 at the Hyatt Regency Hill Country Resort, San Antonio, Texas. Business Continuity/Disaster Recovery professionals can register now for the conference and save $200 on the cost of their registration here.
